About

She Counts harnesses the proven power of savings and financial tools to help women save more securely, invest in their businesses and take control of their financial future.

SAVINGS CAN BE A GAME CHANGER

Women are inherent savers. For financial service providers looking to expand their customer base, women make valuable clients. They save a higher percentage of retained deposits, are more likely to pick up multiple financial products and frequently refer their friends and family to financial institutions.

With 1 billion unbanked women around the world, the opportunity for financial service providers is tremendous. For women, access to a savings account means building a more secure and prosperous future for herself and her family.

Forging futures through financial solutions.

Research shows that women in developing countries save between 10-15% of their daily income. She Counts capitalizes on women’s natural inclination to save, providing women with savings and financial tools to control their income and invest in their businesses.

Powered by a unique cross-sector partnership.

Women’s World Banking, Center for Global Development and ExxonMobil teamed up, harnessing the power of the public and private sector to put new financial tools in the hands of women around the world.

Born out of an innovative pilot program.

ExxonMobil, in partnership with the Center for Global Development, TechnoServe, Vodacom and Mercy Corps, launched an innovative pilot program to provide mobile saving accounts and business training to more than 5,000 entrepreneurs in Indonesia and Tanzania.

A data-driven approach.

In 2013, ExxonMobil and the United Nations Foundation published A Roadmap for Promoting Women’s Economic Empowerment which found that saving products – including mobile savings platforms – are a powerful vehicle for advancing women’s economic empowerment. She Counts builds on that learning by investing in savings and financial tools that work for women.

Faq

How does She Counts work?

She Counts works with financial service providers, influencers and funders to put savings and financial tools in the hands of women. Together, the She Counts members share learnings and best practices, and invest in financial solutions that help women plan and save for their future.

As a member of She Counts, organizations will benefit from cutting-edge business insights on serving women with asset-building products and services. Members will receive access to the latest insights, information and tools, and learn from a global network of banks, mobile network operators, FinTechs, microfinance institutions, etc. Members will enjoy opportunities to join in-person and virtual workshops, as well as tailored exchange programs with organizations from around the globe.

She Counts members will also benefit from association with the She Counts brand. Affiliation with She Counts provides financial institutions with an opportunity to differentiate themselves in the market and enhance their reputation through a demonstrated commitment to women’s economic empowerment. As a member of She Counts, financial institutions will establish themselves as global leaders and have the opportunity to showcase their success in serving women through innovative financial products and services.

She Counts members will also become part of the Women’s World Banking Global Network, a group of leading financial service providers dedicated to serving low-income women in emerging markets with the financial products and services they need to succeed. For more information on Women’s World Banking Global Network, please visit: www.womensworldbanking.org/about-us/partnerships/

How are She Counts programs selected?

She Counts welcomes institutions that demonstrate criteria of a well-designed saving solution that enables women to overcome barriers in accessing and using savings products, such as doorstep banking, agent training, and marketing geared towards women’s pain points. Members are also required to provide gender-disaggregated data to track reach and women’s financial behavior.

Sample indicators monitored in the She Counts program may include percentage of new women clients (access), average account balance by gender (engagement), and change in household income (empowerment).

Who’s involved in the platform?

She Counts was launched by ExxonMobil in partnership with Women’s World Banking and the Center for Global Development. Together, they’re identifying best practices, launching innovative research and rallying financial service providers, influencers and funders to put more financial tools in the hands of women.

She Counts seeks members who are committed to providing savings and other financial tools to women around the world. Members will be expected to meet certain criteria for serving low-income women with savings and other financial products, further solidifying She Counts as the leading platform on savings for women.

Others involved in the She Counts platform include institutions within financial inclusion such as research institutions, think tanks, NGOs, regulators, and other private sector players.

Why does She Counts focus on savings and financial assets?

In 2013, A Roadmap for Promoting Women’s Economic Empowerment found that savings tools – including mobile savings platforms – are a powerful vehicle for advancing women’s economic empowerment.

In 2017, ExxonMobil and the Center for Global Development launched an innovative pilot program to test the impact of savings. The pilot worked with TechnoServe, Mercy Corps, Vodacom, an Indonesian Bank and the World Bank to connect more than 5,000 women entrepreneurs in Indonesia and Tanzania with mobile savings tools and business trainings.

The two-year evaluation, led by the Center for Global Development, released its first set of findings – which showed that mobile technology has a substantial impact on women’s savings and subjective empowerment, especially when accompanied by business training. Stay tuned for more results!

How is She Counts different from other financial inclusion initiatives?

While many programs focus on microfinance or expanding access to financial services, few focus exclusively on women’s savings and asset-building. She Counts brings together global perspectives in an open and transparent environment to share what works (and what doesn’t!) in an effort to accelerate the number of players serving the women’s market with well-designed savings products.

Because She Counts will collect data from members, the platform will be able to measure impact, including opportunity for women customers and growth for financial institutions.